In 2026, the United States will mark the semiquincentennial of the Declaration of Independence. Many organizations and historians—including these panelists— have wondered what it means to consider patriotism and commemorative work amid a roiling and divisive political climate. We know we need to mark this somehow, people seem to be saying, but how? To talk about patriotism in 2026 can seem like a provocation, or a militant stance, or a fairytale. This panel will consider patriotism and its forms and functions over time. How has American patriotism transformed over the centuries? How has patriotism been connected with the values of the Declaration of Independence? How has it functioned for different populations? What are productive ways of discussing these thorny, often contentious issues and finding a shared usable past for Americans of all kinds? Those are the sorts of issues this roundtable will address.